A tsunami measuring about 3 meters high reached the Shika nuclear power plant in Ishikawa Prefecture following a powerful earthquake that shook central Japan last week but caused no major safety problems, its operator said Tuesday.
According to Hokuriku Electric Power Co., the tsunami reached the facility at about 5:45 p.m., approximately 90 minutes after a 7.6-magnitude quake hit the region on New Year’s Day.
Photo taken from an aircraft on Jan. 2, 2024, shows the Shika nuclear power plant in Shika, a seaside town in Ishikawa Prefecture. (Kyodo)
The tsunami did not damage the plant, as it is built about 11 meters above sea level and has a 4-meter tall seawall, the utility said.
The tsunami’s height was not immediately known as data transmissions from a measuring device set on the seafloor stopped after the quake.
The power company had only confirmed that the water level of a pool connecting with the Sea of Japan rose by some 3 meters.
The operator initially said that a gauge had shown no major change in water levels.
